Arch for shoes.



W. DUNBAR.

ARCH FOR SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED rmzs, 1914.

1,137,387. Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

INVENTOR WTNESSES I v WZ/Zrnar 3022;941- 7 W ax/44 6 I @M ATTORNEY UNITE WILMER DUNBAR, OF GREENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ARCH FOR SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 25, 1914. Serial No. 820,841.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILMER DUNBAR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Greensburg, in the county of \Vestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arches for Shoes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to arches for shoes, and has for its object to provide a device .of such class, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, formed of material with sufiicient rigidity to maintain the arch of the foot, at the same time possessing a resilient cushioning, sanitary and non-slipping characteristic.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arch for the purposev set forth provided with means, in a manner as. herein after referred to for causing a grip between the arch and the sole of the shoe when pressure is applied to the arch by the foot thereby preventing slipping of the arch.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arch formed of resilient material, other than metal, to prevent any possibility of the corroding of the arch due to the perspiration of the foot, under such conditions providing a sanitary arch.

A further object of the-invention is to provide an arch constructed of resilient material other than metal, but possessing suflicient rigidity'to maintain the arch of the foot and to form said arch with a body portion provided with vacuum cups and reinforcing ribs, the ribs being of greater height than the cups, as well as connecting and intersecting the cups and -the ribs being capable of compression by the weight of the foot in advance of the compressing of the cups, under such conditions preventing the edges of the cups from being unduly worn or injured and insuring a positive action of the cups to produce a vacuum grip between the arch and the sole to overcome any possibility of the arch slipping.

Further objects of the invention are to provide an arch for shoes which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, efiiclent and convenient 1n its use,

readily positioned, and inexpensive to manu-- facture.

\Vith the foregoing and other-objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it'is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a side elevation, broken away, of a shoe, the latter being partly shown in section and further illustrating the adaptation with the shoe of an arch in accordance with this invention, the arch being illustrated in longitudinal section, Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the arch, and Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view. of the arch.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 denotes the upperv of a shoe, 2 the sole and 3 the heel.

The arch consists of a resilient body portion 4, preferably formed of rubber and possessing sufficient rigidity for the purpose for which it is intended and said body portion 4 in longitudinal section is of ogee curvature and in transverse section, concavoconvex. Formed integral with the lower face of the body portion 4 is a series of longitudinally extending ribs 5, of a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the body portion 4, and which gradually decrease in height from the center toward each end. Formed integral with the lower face of the body portion 4 is a plurality of rows of depending annular resilient members 6, which in connection with the lower face of the body portion 4 provide vacuum cups. Each of the vacuum cups of a row is intersected by, a longitudinal rib 5 and the said rib thereby connects the cups of a row together, at the same time connecting the walls of each cup of a row together, and under such conditions bracing the wall. The ribs 5, as well as the members 6 are formed of the same material as that which the body portion is constructed of, and the said ribs 5 are of greater height than the height of the members 6, under such conditions the ribs will be compressed in advance of the compression Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

of said members, thereby preventing the edges of the members from being unduly worn or injured.

lVhat I claim is 1. A shoe arch consisting of a non-metallic body portion of ogee curvature provided on its lower face with annular members to constitute vacuum cups to set up a vacuum grip when pressure is applied to the upper face of said body, and said body further provided with integral means on its lower face for bracing the annular members exteriorly and interiorly thereof.

2. A shoe arch consisting of a non-metallic body portion of ogee curvature provided on its lower face with annular members to con-' means to constitute exteriorly and interiorly braces for said members.

4. A shoe arch comprising a non-metallic body portion having its lower face formed with rows of annular members to provide vacuum cups, said body portion further having its lower face provided with integral means to constitute braces for said members, said means intersecting said members and of greater height than the height of said members.

5. A shoe arch comprising a non-metallic body portion having its lower face formed with rows of annular members to provide vacuum cups, said body portion further having its.lower face provided with integral means to constitute braces for said members, said means intersecting said members and of greater height than the height of said members, said body being of ogee curvature in the direction of its length and further concave-convex in transverse section.

6. A shoe arch comprising a body portion having its lower face formed with vacuum cups, and ribs integral with the lower face of said body and connected with said cups for bracing them, said ribs of greater height than the cups.

7. A shoe arch comprising a body portion having its lower face formed with vacuum cups, and ribs integral with the lower face of said body and connected with said cups for bracing them, said ribs of greater height than the. cups and further connectingthe walls of each cup together.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses:

\VILMER DUNBAR.

\Vitnesses MAX H. SRoLovrrz, SOPHIA E. DUNN. 

